Food processor with circulation system and method

ABSTRACT

A food processing system circulates a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments perpendicular to food product travel along a horizontal conveyor. In another aspect, desired sequencing is provided including reversal of orientation order of return and supply path segments of the circulating processing medium.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

[0001] The invention relates to a food processing apparatus and method, including cooking and/or chilling, and more particularly to circulation systems and methods.

[0002] In one aspect, a food processing apparatus and method is provided including a circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second vertical supply and return path segments flowing processing medium vertically across a food product traveling horizontally through a food processing chamber on a horizontal conveyor.

[0003] In another aspect, a food processing apparatus and method is provided for transporting the food product serially sequentially through a plurality of modular compartments each having its own circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having supply and return path segments. Desired serial sequencing is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of food processing apparatus in accordance with the invention.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a portion of FIG. 1.

[0006]FIG. 3 is like FIG. 1 and shows a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007]FIG. 1 shows food processing apparatus 10 including a food processing chamber 12 for processing a food product 14, such as meat products, e.g. hot dogs, poultry, fish, or other food products. One or more horizontal conveyors 16, 18 transport the food product horizontally forwardly through chamber 12 from entrance 20 to exit 22. One or more circulation systems 24, 26 circulate a processing medium, for example heated air or smoke or chilled air or brine solution or mist, or the like, for which further reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,454 and 5,253,569, incorporated herein by reference. The processing medium is circulated along a circulation path having first and second vertical segments 28 and 30, segment 28 being a supply path segment, and segment 30 being a return path segment, such that the processing medium flows vertically across food product 14 traveling horizontally through chamber 12. The processing medium flows in a first downward vertical direction in first segment 28 and in a second upward vertical direction in second segment 30, which directions are opposite to each other. Horizontal conveyor belts 16, 18 are of an open mesh type to enable vertical air flow therethrough. Chamber 12 has upper and lower walls 32 and 34 respectively spaced above and below the one or more horizontal conveyors 16, 18. The circulation path provided by segments 28, 30 begins and ends at one of such walls, preferably upper wall 32.

[0008] Segments 28 and 30 are horizontally spaced from each other along a direction parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of food product through chamber 12. A barrier wall 36 extends generally vertically in chamber 12 and has an opening 38 through which the conveyor extends horizontally. Supply path segment 28 is forward of barrier wall 36, and return path segment 30 is rearward of barrier wall 36.

[0009] Supply path segment 28 has an entrance 40, and return path segment 30 has an exit 42. Supply path entrance 40 and return path exit 42 are horizontally spaced by barrier wall 36 therebetween. Supply path entrance 40 has a plurality of wig-wag dampers 44, FIG. 2 oscillating about pivot axes 46 which extend along directions parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of food product 14 through chamber 12. The processing medium enters supply path segment 28 between dampers 44 along channeled flow paths 48 oscillated back and forth as shown at arrows 50 across food product 14. Flow paths 48 have changing directions during oscillation, some of which directions are oblique relative to both horizontal and vertical. The dampers may be oscillated in any known manner, for example by a motor driven cam 45 connected by a link arm 47 driving link bar 49 in turn driving respective links 51 connected to respective dampers 44 at their respective pivot axes, or any other oscillating mechanism.

[0010] Chamber 12 in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of modular compartments such as 52, 54 in series relation, and which may include an intermediate compartment such as 56 therebetween such as a liquid drench compartment, for example if compartment 52 is a heating zone and compartment 54 is a drying zone. Each compartment may be provided with its own exhaust stack such as 58, 60, 62. Food product 14 is transported sequentially serially through the compartments. Each compartment has its own circulation system 24, 26 circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments, 28, 30, and 64, 66, respectively. One of the segments is a supply path segment S, and the other segment is a return path segment R. Compartments 52 and 54 are reversed in R and S sequence relative to each other such that food product 14 is transported sequentially forwardly through the two compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R, namely serially sequentially through return path segment 30 then through supply path segment 28 then through supply path segment 64 then through return path segment 66.

[0011] Each compartment 52, 54 has a blower 68, 70, respectively, each having an output 72, 74, respectively, supplying processing medium to the respective supply path segment S 28, 64, respectively, at positive pressure, and an input 76, 78 respectively, returning processing medium from the respective return path segment R 30, 66, at negative pressure. Chamber 12 has the noted upstream entrance 20 and the noted downstream exit 22. The upstream-most compartment 52 is oriented with its R segment 30 serially upstream of its S segment 28. The downstream-most compartment 54 is oriented with its R segment 66 serially downstream of its S segment 64.

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment including four compartments 52, 80, 82, 54 in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R→R→S→S→R, namely return path segment 30→supply path segment 28→supply path segment 84→return path segment 86→return path segment 90→supply path segment 88→supply path segment 64→return path segment 66. The noted return path segments at the entrances and exits to the food processing chamber are desired to prevent escape of processing medium from the chamber, i.e. the negative pressure of the return path segment will tend to maintain the processing medium within the chamber.

[0013] It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Food processing apparatus comprising a food processing chamber for processing a food product, a horizontal conveyor for transporting said food product horizontally through said chamber, a circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second vertical segments, one of said segments being a supply path segment, the other of said segments being a return path segment, such that said processing medium flows vertically across said food product traveling horizontally through said chamber.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said processing medium flows in a first vertical direction in said first segment, and in a second vertical direction in said second segment, said second vertical direction being opposite to said first vertical direction.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said chamber has upper and lower walls respectively spaced above and below said horizontal conveyor, and wherein said circulation path begins and ends at the same one of said walls.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said one wall is said upper wall.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second segments are horizontally spaced from each other along a direction parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of said food product through said chamber.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said food product travels horizontally forwardly through said chamber, and comprising a barrier wall extending generally vertically in said chamber and having an opening through which said conveyor extends horizontally, said first segment being forward of said barrier wall, said second segment being rearward of said barrier wall.
 7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said supply path segment has an entrance, and said return path segment has an exit, said supply path entrance and said return path exit being horizontally spaced by said barrier wall therebetween, said supply path entrance having a plurality of wig-wag dampers oscillating about pivot axes which extend along directions parallel to said direction of horizontal travel of said food product through said chamber, such that said processing medium enters said supply path portion between said dampers along channeled flow paths oscillated back and forth across said food product, said flow paths having changing directions during oscillation, some of said directions being oblique relative to both horizontal and vertical.
 8. Food processing apparatus comprising a food processing chamber for processing a food product, said chamber having a plurality of modular compartments in series relation, a conveyor for transporting said food product forwardly through said chamber by transporting said food product sequentially serially through said compartments, each of said compartments having its own circulation system circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments, one of said segments being a supply path segment S, the other of said segments being a return path segment R, wherein at least two of said compartments are reversed in R and S sequence relative to each other such that said food product is transported sequentially forwardly through said two compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R.
 9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein each said compartment has a blower having an output supplying said processing medium to the respective said supply path segment S at positive pressure, and an input returning said processing medium from the respective said return path segment R at negative pressure, and wherein said chamber has an upstream entrance and a downstream exit, and wherein the upstream-most of said compartments is oriented with its R segment serially upstream of its S segment, and wherein the downstream-most of said compartments is oriented with its R segment serially downstream of its S segment.
 10. The invention according to claim 9 comprising four said compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R→R→S→S→R.
 11. A method for processing a food product comprising transporting said food product horizontally on a horizontal conveyor through a food processing chamber, circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second vertical segments in a circulation system, providing one of said segments as a supply path segment, providing the other of said segments as a return path segment, and flowing said processing medium vertically across said food product traveling horizontally through said chamber.
 12. The method according to claim 11 comprising flowing said processing medium in a first vertical direction in said first segment, flowing said processing medium in a second vertical direction in said second segment, said second vertical direction being opposite to said first vertical direction.
 13. The method according to claim 11 comprising providing said chamber with upper and lower walls respectively spaced above and below said horizontal conveyor, and beginning and ending said circulation path at the same one of said walls.
 14. The method according to claim 13 comprising beginning and ending said circulation path at said upper wall.
 15. The method according to claim 11 comprising spacing said first and second segments horizontally from each other along a direction parallel to the direction of horizontal travel of food product through said chamber.
 16. The method according to claim 15 comprising transporting said food product horizontally forwardly through said chamber, providing a barrier wall extending generally vertically in said chamber and having an opening through which said conveyor extends horizontally, providing said first segment forward of said barrier wall, and providing said second segment rearward of said barrier wall.
 17. The method according to claim 16 comprising providing said supply path segment with an entrance, providing said return path segment with an exit, horizontally spacing said supply path entrance and said return path exit from each other by said barrier wall therebetween, providing said supply path entrance with a plurality of wig-wag dampers and oscillating said dampers about pivot axes extending along directions parallel to said direction of horizontal travel of said food product through said chamber, supplying said processing medium to said supply path entrance between said dampers along channeled flow paths and oscillating said dampers to oscillate said flow paths back and forth across said food product such that said flow paths have changing directions during oscillation and such that some of said directions are oblique relative to both horizontal and vertical.
 18. A method for processing a food product comprising providing a chamber having a plurality of modular compartments, arranging said compartments in series relation, transporting said food product on a conveyor forwardly through said chamber by transporting said food product sequentially serially through said compartments, providing each of said compartments with its own circulation system and circulating a processing medium along a circulation path having first and second segments in each of said compartments, providing one of said segments as a supply path segment S, providing the other of said segments as a return path segment R, reversing the R and S sequence of at least two of said compartments relative to each other and transporting said food product sequentially forwardly through said two compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R.
 19. The method according to claim 18 comprising providing each said compartment with a blower, providing each said blower with an output and supplying said processing medium to the respective said supply path segment S at positive pressure, providing each said blower with an input and returning said processing medium from the respective said return path segment R at negative pressure, providing said chamber with an upstream entrance and a downstream exit, orienting the upstream-most of said compartments with its R segment serially upstream of its S segment, and orienting the downstream-most of said compartments with its R segment serially downstream of its S segment.
 20. The method according to claim 19 comprising providing four said compartments in the following serial sequence R→S→S→R→R→S→S→R. 